


A surprise

by kate_the_reader



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Advent Oddments, Christmas, M/M, Surprises, Sweetness, Treats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kate_the_reader/pseuds/kate_the_reader
Summary: The fake snow and skinny Santas in the malls feel wrong, and you’d be silly to try to find turkey and all the trimmings here when the local food is so delicious, but there is one thing Arthur knows Eames loves and always wants at this season.





	A surprise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hooptedoodle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hooptedoodle/gifts).



> For darling hooptedoodle, of course!
> 
> I haven't really kept up with this challenge, but it's been fun.

Eames isn’t a traditionalist, far from it, but he has some private traditions, or things he likes a certain way. He has never said, but Arthur has noticed.

Arthur has noticed and so when they end up stuck in Kuala Lumpur at Christmas time, trapped by a job that has gone wrong in many small annoying ways from day one, resulting in endless delays that mean they can’t leave until after New Year, Arthur is determined to give Eames at least some of the things he likes. 

The fake snow and skinny Santas in the malls feel wrong, and you’d be silly to try to find turkey and all the trimmings here when the local food is so delicious, but there is one thing Arthur knows Eames loves and always wants at this season. He doesn’t know why this particular treat feels Christmassy to Eames. It’s not a traditional Christmas thing, as far as he knows. In England you can get them at any time of the year. Eames never wants them any other time of the year, but he always has a few boxes at Christmas.

At first, Arthur didn’t understand the appeal, but some things just have a meaning that outweighs their reality. He, for example, likes Hershey’s Kisses, even though there is much better chocolate to be had elsewhere. He knows Eames has a similar relationship with these. 

But will he be able to get them here? It’s an alluring mixture of so many cultures, with a thin layer left over from British colonial days. He asks the concierge at their very nice hotel and is directed to an international supermarket. The shelves are a riot of processed foods from all corners of the world, and in the cookie aisle he finds them. He buys several packets.

On Christmas day they go out for excellent dim sum. In the evening, back in the hotel, with its highrise view of the sparkling lights of the city spread out below, he gets his purchases out while Eames is in the bathroom, and puts them on his pillow.

Eames comes out of the bathroom rubbing his hair with a towel. “Do you think--” He doesn’t finish the thought.

“Oh darling!” He turns to Arthur with a look of pure delight. “Jaffa Cakes! It’s Christmas!” Arthur staggers a bit as Eames sweeps him up in a hug. “It’s not Christmas without Jaffa Cakes! How did you know? Where did you find them? Tea! We need tea!” His face is lit with joy quite out of proportion to the surprise.

When they’ve drunk their tea and eaten several of the little chocolate and orange cakes, Eames sits back against the pillows, still smiling There’s a little smear of chocolate at the corner of his mouth. Arthur kisses it away and leans against him.

“Thank you for my Christmas treat, darling. How _did_ you even know?”

Arthur looks sideways at him. “Of course I knew, Eames.”

“Yes,” Eames agrees. “You know all things.”

It’s not true of course, but Arthur just hums in agreement.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was "Jaffa cakes", of course.


End file.
